Eating in the Dark

I think that Spring is the second biggest party season for caterers. It is in my case, at least. Of course, from Thanksgiving until Christmas is the very busiest time, but with Spring comes graduation parties, loads of wedding showers and going-away parties for families leaving school (and a lot of families 'go-away' evey year in expat communities-- we are rather nomadic that way). So my little catering business has been bustling over the past few months. What I've noticed duing these hectic times of year, is that when I am swamped with 'work cooking', I haven't time to cook as I usually do, for my family. Dinner ends up being whatever I have cooked twenty-thousand of that day ("Okay girls, who wants an other helping of sweet pea blinis with curried chicken salad? Anyone?"). And I've always found irony in the fact that after I cater a big party, I get home late, often past midnight, feeling tired and famished having not had time to eat since breakfast. I've spent the evening serving glorious, elegant party fare; beef tenderloin canapes, Thai fish cakes, mini asparagus flans and the like. But as I open my refrigerator, I know full well that it will be empty, cleared of the bountiful contents that just hours before had filled it. So I end up having a grilled cheddar cheese sandwich and a Feldschlossen beer. Sitting there in the dark, silence of my dining room, with the din of that night's party still echoing in my ears, the grilled cheese and cold beer taste pretty good. And the ease of the worn, wooden chair feels great.